FIG. 1 is a longitudinal lateral view showing a fan apparatus of a related refrigerator which is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3640815.
Referring to FIG. 1, the related fan apparatus includes a motor frame 21 formed of a synthetic resin and having a bracket insertion hole 28; a bracket 35 having a passing portion 37 which is forcibly pressed into the bracket insertion hole 28; and a stator 23 including a stator core, a stator coil installed at the stator core and a mold layer 50 formed of a synthetic resin and installed to mold the stator core and the stator coil, and located outer circumference of the passing portion 37 protruded from the bracket insertion hole 28 to be supported by the passing portion 37, the motor frame 21 and the like
Furthermore, the related fan apparatus includes a rotator including a rotation shaft 25 passing through the passing portion 37 and rotatably supported at the bracket 35 through a bearing, a rotator joint 62 installed at an end portion in the opposite side of the motor frame 21 so as to cover the stator 23 from the outside and a rotator magnet installed at the inside of the rotator joint 62 to face an outer circumferential surface of the stator core 45 to each other with a certain gap therebetween, and a fan 27 installed at the outside of the rotator joint 62 to be rotated integrally with the rotator joint. And a passing portion for sealing 29 interposed between the passing portion 37 and the mold layer 50 under a pressed state is installed at an edge portion of the bracket insertion hole 28.
Therefore, the related fan apparatus enhances a sealing characteristic of an aligning surface of the motor frame 21 and the mold layer 50 and the aligning surface of the motor frame 21 and the bracket 35 so as to prevent water from being introduced into the stator 23.
Also, the related fan apparatus is provided with a space 54 having a ring shape and formed between the motor frame 21 and the mold layer 50 to be located outside of the passing portion for sealing. And, the rotator joint 62 has a cup shape having an opened portion at one end portion of the motor frame 21 and a closed portion at the other portion of the motor frame 21, and is installed for the opened portion to be towards a lower side of an inclination.
Therefore, it is capable of preventing a capillary phenomenon from being generated at the ring-shaped space 54, accordingly preventing water from being introduced into the passing portion for sealing 29 from the space 54. And, even when the water is introduced into the rotator joint 62, the water can be easily drained to the outside from the opened portion of the rotator joint 62 because the rotator joint 62 has the cup shape.
Also, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal lateral view showing a related centrifugal fan apparatus having a waterproof structure which is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3694224, which shows a fan having a labyrinth structure so as to prevent moisture from being introduced into the fan motor from the outside.
Two fan apparatuses abovementioned have the structure for preventing moisture from being introduced into the fan motor from the outside or for properly draining the introduced moisture.
However, in such structure, when moisture is introduced to the inside of the fan motor (between air gaps), that is the waterproof or the drain is not properly performed, due to dew condensation or moisture introduction, the introduced moisture can be frozen due to a low temperature (below zero) inside of the refrigerator during a waiting time after the motor is stopped (waiting mode), thereby locking (impeding or stopping) the operation of the fan motor.